Majora's Curse
by manga ranga
Summary: Part 1 of 3, explores the various clans of Ikana and how they live in Termina. The first part is set during the era of the Ikana war, after the construction of the Stone Towers the tempers between those who worship the Golden Goddesses and those who worship the Giants erupts into civil conflict. An opportunity to end the war emerges when Majora returns from her journey.
1. Prologue

Some may find this tale familiar as I have completely rewritten it to be... more in canon with Legend of Zelda.

Please note that the clans of Ikana are to be regarded as the Termina equivalent of mix between the Dark Interlopers and Twili from Hyrule.

This tale is more a short story so it may feel a little abrupt as aspects of the Ikana clans and the wild deities will be explored as the overarching story continues.

* * *

_Eons ago, the Ikana kingdom was once a land of enlightenment and magical prowess._

_The finest minds in Termina spent their lives mastering the powers of light and darkness._

_Most revered the Golden Goddesses of the heavens for their gifts._

_Yet as their power grew they became consumed with the knowledge of the shadows._

_A forbidden form of magic that stemmed from the Twilight Realm beyond the veil of light._

_In order to pursue the darkness they shunned the light, questioned the goddesses and the kingdom was divided._

_The users of Shadows became known as the Dark Interlopers or Gomess who grew obsessed with the Twilight Realm._

_They scoured Termina in search of relics of the Twilight Realm, the remnants of the primal gods of Termina, the Giants._

_In doing so they no longer revered the Golden Goddesses and sought to prove them as weak._

_The users of Light proudly kept the name of Ikana who sought to keep their counterparts confined to the Eastern Valley._

_They kept their faith in the Golden Goddesses and refused to partake in the dark practises._

_No matter how tempting the shadow magic became, they refused to accept such blasphemy._

_Concerns grew and bloodthirsty hunts followed as the Gomess began to assume the forms of beasts at will._

_Denying the Golden Goddesses and to pursue the old magic of the Giants._

_The Gomess used their powers to construct the Stone Towers to mock the heavenly deities and revere their own._

_The Goddesses apparently flipped the very towers over to send the damned tribe to hell._

_A crucial mistake was made by this act as it only allowed the Gomess to descend into the nothingness of time._

_It was in this forsaken place that they found a mask, a strange face carved from the armour of a time lost entity._

_The mask was protected by the stone visage of a fifth giant, appearing as a fearsome warrior._

_The Gomess came to revere this figure as highly as the other giants, allegedly they crafted masks in its likeness as weapons to destroy the goddesses._

_The emergence of that first accursed mask from the abyss was not lost on Ikana as they knew the tales of why it was sealed away by their ancestors._

_That was the breaking point as finally a war between the two tribes erupted._

_For decades they battled within the Eastern Canyons, unaware that the architecture of the Stone Towers held more danger than they realised._

_From the abyss of the towers came a creature from another realm, a demon known as Bellum._

_A parasitic entity that harvested the souls of the living and corrupted all it touched._

_Consumed with bloodlust, the war between Ikana and the Gomess did not cease._

_Even when Termina fell to ruin they did not stop fighting each other._

_Time passed as Bellum gained control of Termina._

_Contorting the very elements themselves into his demonic servants._

_All responsible in harvesting life force so that he may grow stronger._

_However, like with all these stories, rebellion soon followed._

_It all began in the Southern Swamps, when the Deku King was murdered by the demon of Forest._

_His son, Dakar, was the first to question Bellum's source and the possibility of sealing the demon away._

_The young Deku nut prince travelled in all directions of the compass._

_He joined forces with Damino, a hero of the Gorons, and Mikaw, a warrior of the Zoras._

_When they arrived at the Eastern Canyons they saw nothing but bloodshed and hatred._

_Even the Garo, who were sent to investigate the situation had become mad with bloodlust._

_Yet they also found the source of Bellum's emergence into Termina at the Stone Towers._

_From the Gomess came their final ally who knew of a way to banish Bellum, Majora._

_She informed them that the shadows of the Four Giants would be strong enough to handle the task._

_And so they travelled Termina amidst the death and decay._

_Travelling to the resting places of each giant, Woodfall, Snowhead, Great Bay and the Stone Towers._

_They fought Bellum's minions at every turn and slayed his beloved elemental demons._

_Their efforts were rewarded as the Giants head their call._

_Dakar gained the power of the Southern Giant's shadow, Odolwa, the masked jungle warrior._

_Damino became one with the forces of the Northern Giant's Shadow, Goht, the masked mechanical monster._

_Mikaw could now wield the magic of the Western Giant's Shadow, Gyorg, the gargantuan masked fish._

_And finally Majora had been chosen by the Eastern Giant's Shadow, Twinmould, the giant masked insect._


	2. The Banishment

The sky was hinted with the permanent glow of blood as fragments of shadow wafted through the air. The verdant fields were now a hellish wasteland. Termina was on the cusp of death as demons ran rampant through the desolate land in search of fresh souls to harvest for their master. Clock Town was beyond recognition under Bellum's control. The ruined buildings were torn asunder by large black crystals pulsing with red light. The only building that refused to fall was the clock tower itself. Standing defiant against Bellum in the centre of the ruins as it kept track of the passage of time. The demonic entity took to hiding in the caverns beneath the tower yet could not fathom what purpose the strange corridors held. Neither could it open the impenetrable door worn smooth with age.

At the stroke of midnight they came from the directions of the compass. Each had the plan to cripple Bellum's defences stoked around the tower and face off against him in the centre of town. The ground of the northern gate began to quiver beneath the creature approaching. The demons guarding this side of town paused out of surprise. Surely there was nothing left in Termina that could stand against the might of Bellum?

Their musing was answered by the ruins of the gate exploding into splinters under the might of a spectral bull. The creature was constructed from twisted armour from a long lost era and wreathed in shadows. In a maddened frenzy it charged and left only destruction in its wake. Finally crashing through the barricades of black crystal, the bull to slow to a trot, allowing the demons to gaze upon the stern human mask it wore as a face. The bull vanished into the ether to reveal the form of a rolling Goron as he landed on a swarm of demons.

Rising from the fractured remains of his opponents, Damino laughed heartily at the night. A brutish stone skinned giant, like most of his clan, he easily towered above the masked minions swarming towards him. A necklace of blooded Dodongo fangs, scale kilt and war paint warned of his combat prowess. He ran a hand over the spiked mane of wire curving over his head to calm his heart. He knew he could not fail tonight and at the same time he was aware this was Termina's last hope of salvation. Laughter escaped his lips again at the cruel prank pulled on his homeland by the gods.

All was silent as the phantoms drifted through the west side of town, some of the creatures had already wandered off in search of commotion to the north. This left only larger brutes of Bellum's minions, all were adorned by his golden eyes and wearing solidified shadow to hold their bodies together. The air grew heavy as the wind began to move with the rhythm of the ocean. The predator lurking beneath the veil of night then struck with the precision of a shark. Horns and fangs twisted through shadow and stone as the ghostly fish glided past. Its body swirled with strange markings as its form dissipated into the air to take the form of a Zora.

Mikaw stood confidently before his remaining foes with a cryptic smirk on his lips. His tall, lean body branded with the tribal tattoos and markings of his clan. The fish tail protruding from his head was cut down the middle right to his skull. A foolish injury he had been inflicted with as a child. Now his head tail drifted as two pieces making him look like a jester. Around his neck was a jagged jester collar, his waist encircled by a harlequin skirt, the bottom of a tunic, and a thick sea shell belt. He stretched out his arms, his fins revealing their spikes and glowed with bioluminescence. Electricity crackled in the air as he charged with a sadistic grin on his face.

Bellum's minions fled in a frenzy of hysteria, something was emerging from the darkness and killing them off at a rapid pace. Having herded them to the centre of east Clock Town the hunter revealed itself. Two flying masked centipedes lashed out from the darkness. Both of them possessed a set of venom dripping fangs, two blade like tusks and three eerie eyes. Their tails adorned by a shining gemstone surrounded by rock hard spikes. Strengthened by indignation, the two centipedes violently tore their prey limb from limb. With the carnage smeared over the ruins, the two centipedes twisted around each other and melted into one form.

Majora stepped down from the air gracefully and observed the transformation of Clock Town with distain. Her black robes swirled with patterns of red and blue in homage to Twinmould as well as patterns of the cursed masks from the abyss the Gomess had claimed. Long term exposure to shadow magic had tainted her kind, all possessed grey tones in their skin and their eyes were shades of yellow and red. Her violet hair was braided with a crown of spiked enamelled metal. A temporary thought went out to brethren in the Stone Towers, she knew for the sake of the Gomess, she had to show the Ikana that their magic was not completely malevolent. Seeing more demons emerging from the black crystals, Majora readied her spear and lunged into combat.

From his resting place bellow the tower, Bellum felt the pulse of the gods interfering. To his surprise it was not the Golden Goddesses, but the presence of the Giants. Remaining an indistinguishable tangle of shadows he emerged from his place of solace to investigate. He was greeted by the sight of his minions dying at the hands of warriors. Perhaps he had underestimated the races of Termina. His interest piqued at the single figured that dared approach him. The Deku nut brazenly walked right into his territory from the remains of the southern gate. His hair was tangled with vines and leaves while his clothing was adorned by insect skeletons. Bright blue war paint covered his tiny form as he stood defiantly before Bellum. He then recalled seeing this child before many years ago "Aren't the Deku King's little brat?"

Dakar snapped to the demon from beyond Termina "We are the last of Termina's courage, come down and face us!"

Bellum laughed, his voice rasping from the energies contained within him "Pathetic, do you really think you can defeat me?" He landed next to Dakar in his corporeal form, the remnants of the creature he used to be before being consumed by darkness. His human was form distorted and drawn out with tendrils of shadow claws for hands. His cloak was made from long tentacles covered in eerie golden eyes. Thick carapaces and exoskeletons of unknown monsters adorned his frame as armour. The tattered robes beneath pooled like liquid darkness. Jet black hair was parted by patterns of carapace as demonic gold eyes looked down upon Dakar. He smirked a grotesque grin of rotting fangs to say "You seriously think you even have a chance? Especially when I outnumber you in every way."

Bellum lunged towards Dakar at a lightning speed, his clawed hands taking the form of sabres. Dakar focused his power as he called upon the form of Odolwa. The small Deku was now enveloped with the visage of the masked jungle warrior. His razor sharp sword in hand and his impenetrable diamond shaped shield raised. Bellum crashed into the shield as Dakar swang at the demon with his sword.

"You forget Bellum" laughed Dakar "We've dealt with your leading minions one by one"

Bellum froze with amazement "How could such pitiful mortals muster enough power to destroy my elemental demons?"

"You've underestimated us!" Dakar morphed back to his Deku form, seeing his allies were in place by then "Mikaw, Damino, Majora! NOW!"

Bellum screamed in agony as four waves of unknown magic collided with his form. He could feel the presence of the Giants' light binding him so their shadows could banish him. From the north, the south, the east and the west, the four heroes untied their powers into one final spell.

"From the darkness of the Woodfall, the secrets of the Deku" Dakar chanted as the spectral mirage of his demon was called forth "Odolwa, the masked jungle warrior, the dark side of the southern giant. I call upon your courage!"

"From the storms of the Snowhead, the unwritten words of the Gorons" Damino echoed as his form swirled with the eerie magic of his monster "Goht, the masked mechanical monster, the shadow of the northern giant. I call upon your power!"

"From the depths of the Great Bay, the lost songs of the Zoras" Mikaw danced as the ghostly apparition of his guardian stalked around him "Gyorg, the masked gargantuan fish, the gloom of the western giant. I call upon your wisdom!"

"From the echo of the Stone Towers, the forgotten past of Ikana" Majora's form twisted with her demonic partners as she sang "Twinmould, the masked twin centipede, the silhouette of the eastern giant. I call upon your divinity!"

All four of them chanted as one "We call upon your souls now! Return this demon to whence it came!"

The magic around Bellum intensified to inhuman levels as his form wavered from reality. His corporeal body shedding in slivers as it vanished into the abyss where time refused to move. In his blurred vision he could see the four Giants looking over him from the edges of the town. They were lending the darkness and cruelty of their souls to the spell. The powers of Odolwa, Goht, Gyorg and Twinmould united in a brilliant flash of lightning, water, flames and earth. The energies moved the sky itself to form a maelstrom of cosmic magic. The screaming vortex swallowed Bellum and all his evil up.

"You haven't seen the last of me!" howled Bellum as his corporeal form shattered into nothing. His soul was sealed between the fabric of dimensions.

* * *

The sound of the wind roused her senses as Majora opened her eyes to a purple sky overhead. Stars were slowly dimming like candles on the verge of extinguishing. She found her head resting on Damino's lap as he sat amidst the ruins of Clock Town. His head shaking with disbelief as he muttered "We really did it…"

Already he could see saplings and shoots shyly come out of hiding as they penetrated through the earth. Slowly but surely, Termina would recover beneath the calmed sky. He looked to the Clock Tower, a mechanical feat of Termina and how it indeed stood the test of time. Even amidst all the chaos and destruction, Bellum could not destroy that tower. Before he could question the notion further he felt Majora stir. With careful hands he helped her upright so she too could see the signs of change.

"The sky… it's normal again and the plants…" she put a hand to her mouth, genuinely surprised "The Giants really did save us."

Damino nodded thoughtfully while lifting her to her feet in one movement "True, but it'll be a long road before Termina is back to the way it was."

Majora's face looked grim as she shook her head. Damino let out a sigh, he had forgotten that Ikana was still in the middle of a civil war. Judging by the events that happened they seemed oblivious to what was happening outside the Eastern Valleys.

"Majora! Damino!" called Mikaw as he came bounding towards them happily. Dakar was riding the Zora in a piggy-back formation. Both of them smiling and laughing among the ruins of their conquered foe.

Dakar waved crazily "Everything's back to normal! I still can't believe it!"

Majora folded her arms "But how can we all be so happy and carefree when Bellum swore he'd be back for revenge."

"That can never happen," blurted out Mikaw as he clumsily dropped Dakar, the Deku cursing under his breath as the Zora went on "The giants made sure of that. His soul can never return to Termina thanks to that spell"

Damino warmly smiled in an attempt to comfort her "It took so long to master but it was all worth it. He can't affect our world anymore or even break out of that prison"

"Unless something happens to the giants" frowned Majora.

Mikaw bounced in "Which will never happen!"

The Gomess was not convinced, she had hoped that uniting with the other races of Termina would prove that her kind were not all evil. However she was also painfully aware that Bellum's arrival was completely her clan's fault as well. Her brooding was silenced at the jovial cheers of her comrades. For that moment despite the long path to restoring Termina, they were happy, they had achieved something all others had deemed impossible. Damino reluctantly informed "I guess now we go our separate ways, we have our own families to take care of and news of Bellum's defeat to send throughout Termina." He smiled broadly in a way only a Goron could "So, what are you all going to do with yourselves now this is over?"

Mikaw cheered as he launched into a handstand "I'm gonna get back into the performing troupe. Maybe learn an instrument to get into the band. The lead diva Ludo, is smoking hot!"

"Once a skirt chaser, always a skirt chaser" muttered Dakar. He honestly thought the quest to slay Bellum would have changed the promiscuous Zora.

"Shut up, you know that's just the way I am mister royalty."

"Don't bring the fact I'm a Deku prince into this!"

"You two calm down." Damino laughed as he effortlessly pushed the Deku and the Zora away from each other.

Dakar calmed himself "Besides, I need to return to my kingdom. I'm going to be given the title of king soon since well… you know…"

"What about you Damino? What are you gonna do?" asked Mikaw

The Goron smiled "I just want to get home to my son, he's just a child"

"What's his name again? Armani?"

"Darmani"

"Yeah"

Damino let out a sigh of annoyance at Mikaw, he had a good heart but his head was still in the clouds.

Dakar turned to Majora "How about you? What about the Gomess and the Ikana?"

"Me? I… I guess I have to return to Ikana" she replied nervously "I'm proof that our magic isn't an abomination and that it can be useful."

"You don't have to, you know," The vivid memories of the Ikana's feud still lingered in his nightmares, Dakar offered graciously "You can stay in the swamps with me"

Mikaw laughed "I think she would stand out amongst all you leafy midgets"

"I'll kill you!" Dakar leapt up high and started strangling Mikaw. Damino and Majora laughed as the four friends spent their last moments together in the fields of Termina. Soon enough, they would all go their separate ways and attempt to get on with their lives.

As Majora watched the Deku, Goron and Zora wander off into the distance she hesitated for a moment. Doubt clouded her mind as to whether she could change the minds of the headstrong elders. However she knew she had to return to the Stone Towers, she had to inform the Arch Mages of the Gomess as to what had transpired. Focusing her magic, her body became cloaked in shadows before it fragmented into specks of darkness and vanished into the earth.


	3. Return to Ikana

The darkness parted and Majora found herself in the one of the great halls of the Stone Towers. She materialised on a stone walkway along the surface of a deep pool. In the reflection she could also see what was occurring in the inversed towers. Fellow members of the Gomess were practising their combat spells while the Garo sparred alongside them. The curse of the Golden Goddesses had indeed proved more useful than expected as the Gomess could now occupy two versions of the Stone Towers. Majora walked the pathway to the main altar of worship that held the treasures her kin had found in the land where time stood still. The unnamed mask took pride of place upon a statue of the fifth giant. The chamber was surrounded by figures of the other four giants as they were posed to revere their superior.

Majora walked to the centre of the chamber and knelt before the Giants. A shiver ran down her spine at the sight of the creepy mask. Bright yellow eyes, reminiscent of the Gomess, were framed by vibrant colours that suggested it was for festivals. Yet one look in those eyes dispelled such a theory as there was something unearthly about them.

"_Majora… Majora…"_ whispered a demonic voice

She instantly froze up, terrified by it "W… Who are you?"

"_A merciless maneater…"_

"I… I've heard of you before. You were tricked by a wild deity who made time move for you again."

"_Yes, not my finest hour. But the desire of countless humans was a burden I could no longer bare. I am thankful for the slumber he granted me."_

"What? Why could the desires of humans collect in you?"

"_The lie they believed, whoever wore my armour would be granted with power. It's foolish that they thought it would work for them. So I devoured all of those who wanted my armour."_

Her voice settled to an even tone "Where are you?"

"_I'm looking right at you."_

Majora dared to look up, she found herself staring right at the mask "Why are you speaking to me?"

"_Because you're going to break me free. I'm tired of sleeping, now I want to be awake again."_

"What? No…"

"_Just put the mask on and I will grant you whatever you desire. The war between the Ikana and the Gomess, I can make it all go away so that you can live in peace."_

Majora slowly moved away from the mask without turning her back on it. She had desires just like anyone, but she was not willing to bargain with a demon in order to get her wishes granted. She then turned wildly and ran out of the isolated chamber. The maneater's voice called to her_ "Stop running… you will wear me one day"_

Majora skidded to a halt in the main hall of the Stone Tower temple. Her heart was still pounding wildly in her chest and her face was covered in beads of sweat. The power of that mask was much more corruptive than what she felt in the presence of Bellum. Sounds of feet walking down the stone corridor interrupted her. Noting that the elders of the Gomess were approaching she quickly adjusted herself. Majora knew they would not stand for her to be untidy before them. She bowed to her superiors "Arch Mage Zant, Arch Mage Midna."

As Gomess they shared the same discoloured skin and eyes as Majora. Zant was a tall and regal man with dark red hair cropped neatly around his golden eyes. Midna on the other hand was an elegant woman with hair and eyes the colour of fire. Both wore similar dark robes etched with patterns from the Twilight Realm. However Zant had red patterns while Midna donned blue as they were elders of two different types of shadow magic. Their title was not known by the clothes they wore, but through the necklaces they crafted from an otherworldly magic. The solidified darkness they casually tied around their neck was known among the Gomess as Fused Shadows. While Zant specialised in the manipulation of darkness and weaver of fused shadows, Midna was a master of shape shifting and crafting enchanted masks. Her most beautiful creations being the Giant's Mask and the Fierce Deity's Mask, designed to embody the dichotomy of the fifth Giant.

Zant politely smiled "Majora, I take it that Bellum is no more. Otherwise you would dare not show your face here again."

She answered, her stance was constantly to attention "Yes, the trio that visited the Towers proved more than competent, they were even accepted as vessels for the remaining Giants."

"So it would seem that the Giants also favour them," Midna nodded to herself "Fascinating, that at the hour of Termina's demise the Giants protect us while the Goddesses seek to destroy us."

Zant laughed arrogantly "Only goes to prove that we are worshipping the right gods."

"No," Majora shrank beneath Zant's glare "No, that's not why I did this."

He folded his arms over his chest and growled "Then explain."

"I did it to prove that are magic isn't malevolent. It can be used for a good reason, it's not as abominable as the Ikana believe it to be." Majora felt more flustered beneath Zant's calculating gaze "I think both sides of this war need to work out how to balance our beliefs because we can live peacefully if we choose to."

Zant yawned in her face "Are you done with lecture yet?" he then raised his hand at her, a gesture for her to stop talking "What those dull-witted Ikana will see is that only we can conjure and control creatures from the Twilight Realm. Therefore they will only see us as abominations as always, your intentions may have been good, it's why the Eastern Giant chose you, but in the real world it won't work." He saw the Garo Master return from his patrol of the valley "If you'll excuse me now, I have other matters to attend to."

Midna remained by Majora's side, the arch mage looked to her and said "What do the other races think of the Gomess? As far as I can tell we're like Ikana's dirty secret."

Majora was taken aback from the remarks of her superior, yet the expression on Midna's face was one of curiosity "They are confused by the colour of our skin and eyes, but once they realise it is how we look they are not afraid of us."

Midna paused to cup her chin "Interesting, perhaps we have been looking at this situation wrong," she looked back to Majora "Perhaps it is time we migrate from these towers and experience Termina." With a cryptic wink, Midna walked off to attend to her duties among the Gomess clan.

* * *

The Stone Towers were alive with celebration by Majora's return as the Gomess and Garo toasted to their superiority over Ikana. Some even going as far as to deliver various insults to King Igos within his own castle. They did not return that night or any other night following the event. Majora on the other hand found herself swamped in an endless sea of praised as she was constantly paraded through the Stone Towers. Zant appeared to do most of the talking as he retold her epic battle to support his arrogant views of magic. Weaving the tale for the glory of his clan and how Majora enchanted the other races of Termina to remain strong against Bellum. It was all a lie as Majora knew it was mostly Dakar that united the remaining fragments of the Termina races and restored hope to the lost.

Before the incident with Bellum, Majora was an unknown among the Gomess. So she was more than surprised when she was chosen by the Eastern Giant to house its power. She swore for days that the giant had made a mistake and accidently picked her instead of Zant or Midna. However she proved capable of completing the task, so the giant could not have been wrong. However there was still a lingering trail of doubt swirling into a vortex within her mind. First the giant, then Bellum and now the accursed mask of the man eater. She was aware that all these forces grew beyond the veil of reality in a place where time stood still. Zant often called this place the Twilight Realm in his teachings.

A hand strongly grasped her wrist and lifted it up triumphant before the crowd. Bewildered, she looked to Zant who had finished yet another telling of her tale. He laughed wickedly "Here we have her! Majora, our champion! The slayer of Bellum!"

She stammered in a panic "But Arch Mage…"

"But nothing, you're a hero" he smiled "Enjoy the celebration, it's all for you"

As Majora was swept away by the happy crowds she felt dead inside. The comforting presence of the Eastern Giant had vanished with the sealing of Bellum. Combined with the loss of Dakar, Damino and Mikaw in her daily life, she was not sure how things would progress in Ikana. A part of her wished she had left for the Southern Swamps with Dakar to live in peace.


	4. Majora's Incarnation

Every day it was the same routine, from dawn till dusk Ikana Valley was overwhelmed by fighting. The only strongholds to rest were the Stone Towers and the Castle of Ikana down below. Majora's victory only seemed to add fuel to the fire as more efforts were taken to breaking into each clans home base. King Igos was growing desperate as he sent more soldiers into the towers. Midna sighed to herself as she saw yet another squad of Ikana soldiers fall to their deaths because they fell victim to yet another trap of the towers. The song they occasionally played to move the blocks in desirable paths confused her. Then again King Igos had the finest composers of Termina, Flat and Sharp, in his employment. They probably composed this new song that created shells of living creatures to stand as statues.

She let out a sigh as her eyes closed momentarily, Majora had disappeared for the past few weeks and while the other Gomess were satisfied with Zant's excuse of her praying to the Giants. Midna knew Zant was up to something malicious, he always was a determined person, even when they were children. Sadly his ambition often led him to perform horrible deeds as his prowess in shadow magic grew. A drop of rain landed on her face as she realised the storm was coming. It was risky plan but she knew tonight would be the only chance she got. Over the past few months she had been circulating her own ideas about leaving Ikana to live among the other races peacefully. With their powers of shadow teleportation and shape shifting into flying creatures the journey would be easy. The only major problem would be the Ikana in the Valley or facing Zant. The best option was to attempt fleeing over Ikana in the midst of a storm as using teleportation would immediately alert Zant to their plans.

Midna then felt a presence behind her as Zant materialised from the darkness. He sighed out loud "So… you really are betraying the Gomess in our time of need."

She turned to face him, his robes now adorned by armour made of fused shadow. His face framed by a crown of darkness as he smiled back to her. Given they were both formidable opponents and childhood friends, neither of them attempted to strike the other. Midna informed him grimly "I know your plans as well, I know what you intend to do to Majora."

"And yet you haven't interfered at all."

Midna smirked "You can keep her, I'm interested to see what she'll do to you."

"What she'll do is help me destroy King Igos once and for all so that I may claim the Eastern Valleys for the Gomess, then, oh then," he laughed "Then we'll take the other races while they're still healing from Bellum's attack. The Terminans, the Dekus, the Gorons, the Zoras, all will fall before our empire."

Midna rolled her eyes as she bluntly informed "It won't happen, she is young and inexperienced yes, but she is also a chosen of the Giants. There is no way you can predict how she will act or what power lies inside her. You forget that at the end of the day, the Giants may appear peaceful but they are still wild deities."

"And yet you can be so sure?"

"I know it will happen. See you later Zant, I know my plan is what will save the Gomess. Not yours." She winked at him, darkness enveloped her as her shape shifted. The shadows shrugged off with a stretch her winged limbs as Midna took on the shape of a mighty dragon. The creature roared at Zant before flying off into the sky to join the swarms already evacuating the Stone Towers. Zant was not concerned though with this development. He had a feeling Midna would betray him sooner or later, it did not matter to him, as he knew he would soon enact his vengeance upon her. But first, he had to destroy the Ikana once and for all. He turned on his heels to enter the Stone Tower Temple, the time to use Majora's full potential had come.

* * *

The remaining Gomess acolytes and the Garo waited in the grand halls. Tonight was the time for their victory as Zant would unveil his ultimate weapon to destroy King Igos and the Ikana. They were giddy with anticipation as they kept on the edges of their seats. Soon their Arch Mage would grace them with his presence to reveal his master plan. As the crowds guessed their wild theories, Zant returned to his private quarters, passing the opulent stone chambers to reach his private meditation room. The circular chamber walls were painted with effigies of the five Giants and the mask from the Twilight Realm. A rigid magic chart, pulsing with shadows and red light was draped across the floor. Pillars of fused shadows encircled the chart suspending a miasma of wavering glass. In the centre, bound in darkness was Majora, her face covered in a red eyed mask made from delicate shadows woven like lace.

Before he roused her, Zant thought carefully about Midna one more time. In their adult years their relation had turned from one of friendship to a bitter rivalry. Given her actions he was surprised she would allow him to continue his plans unhindered. His confidence returned as he realised Majora was too weak to raise her head or even acknowledge him. His mask of shadows had kept cursed her with insomnia for the past weeks. He brazenly chimed as he lowered the barriers "Did you like my All-Night Mask? I know it is rather crude compared to the masks Midna makes, but it did its job well." He removed the mask from Majora's face, lifting her head with his hand "And now it's time for my next trick. Chosen of the Giants."

Warping back from her, Zant raised his arms and channelled his magic through the fused shadows placed around the room. Majora fell weakly to the floor as her body was crippled with fatigue. The shadows them blazed with the glow of Twilight, streams of gold and orange magic shifting into hands that reached out to her. They grabbed onto something within her soul and violently tore it out. The act was so violent it jolted Majora into unconsciousness. Zant marvelled at his handiwork as the magic dissipated to reveal what he sought. He had theorised this spell many years ago, the power to purge one's soul and send it into a creature of the Twilight. Before him hovered an impish creature that shared a likeness to Majora. Its body swirled with patterns of jet black upon its alabaster skin.

She landed before Zant and looked him over carefully, a sly grin crossed her face "So where are the Ikana?"

Zant smiled as he took her hand and led her away "Come this way, please."

Majora remained on the floor of the accursed chamber as Zant's plan clicked into motion.

Before presenting his new weapon to the masses, Zant led her to the chamber of masks where the treasure they claimed from the other realm sat. Majora's imp cackled with delight at seeing the rainbow mask once again. Her foolish counterpart could not see the awesome gifts it could bestow upon her so that her desires may be granted. Zant retrieved the mask from its resting place upon the statue of the fifth Giant. To the imp's surprise he handed it right over to her with a smile "Well, you need to have an awe inspiring visage if the Gomess are to follow you. This mask represents everything we are and it will serve you well in the coming battle." He then approached the chamber's exit "Shall we meet your tribesmen?"

Dark energies pulsed through the colourful mask, more powerful than anything she had ever encountered before. Even Bellum and the Giants paled in comparison to this magic. Whatever manner of wild deity dwelled in this mask, it was surely the antithesis of the Golden Goddesses. Zant was a fool for giving this to her, however she sensed he did not see the true potential of this relic as she could. The imp slipped the mask over her face with glee that such power would be hers to command.

* * *

A soothing melody invaded her thoughts and caressed her soul. Although now it felt broken and missing a large remnant of it. Majora no longer felt any anger or malice towards the Ikana, she could not even feel enraged by what Zant did to her. Her mind had been shattered into two pieces, the imp that was conjured from her was embodiment of all her hatred and rage. She did not even realise she was carrying the burden of such cruelty in her heart until she felt it torn from her. Now her soul felt like a wisp on the edge of life and death.

When she opened her eyes she was greeted with the familiar sight of the Chamber of the Giants. The ethereal domain of their gods, she stood upon a hexagonal pillar amidst a sea of mist. The Giants were concealed partially by the waves and trickles of haze that flowed through the air. She could still hear them singing as they always did. Their voices unable to be heard clearly by mortal ears, except to those who have been chosen to speak with them. They called out to her.

"_We will heal your broken soul... Listen to our song, the Song of Healing."_

Their song resonated in her mind as the trance ended. Majora found herself on the floor of Zant's chambers once more. Her brief visit to the other side had also proved to a potent anodyne for her body. Her legs could now carry her wherever she needed to be. She spied an ocarina on Zant's dresser and while she was repulsed by the idea of playing an instrument he owned, she realised she had no other choice. She had to stop her fragmented soul before all of Ikana was destroyed.


	5. Majora's Wrath

Ikana Valley was a place of war so the constant stench of brimstone and rotting bodies on the field of battle were normal. Today however, King Igos could sense something horribly wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when the first wave of the attack struck. The Garo that emerged from the ether were transformed into shadow beasts, the cursed armour of the Gomess, the Fused Shadows were merged with their skin as they fought with the Ikana footmen. Their strength had doubled as they effortlessly cut through his soldiers. Usually the Garo could not penetrate the castle walls but today was a different story. The shadow beasts were scaling the walls and swarming into the palace. The Gomess followed in tow, using the Garo as a meat shield as they cast their wicked spells. He surveyed the carnage from the roof of his palace. Looking down was met with a scene fitting lowest circles of hell as his paladins, priests and soldiers attempted to stand against the deluge of monsters pouring from the Stone Towers.

King Igos turned to his generals who were awaiting his final orders on how to handle the threat. Possessing the red mane of a lion and a body hardened by war, he was the epitome of a strong king. His body protected by the gold armour of Ikana while with his sword and shield in hand. He had already sent his Queen, Megara, to protect the civilians with her holy magic as they evacuated into the underground tunnels. No matter what happened, he had to protect the innocent for the sake of Ikana. His mind turned to more pressing matters as two of his most trusted knights had just returned from the frontlines to report a most troubling discovery. The king could not believe what they had reported "You mean, the soldiers are moving to the will of one Gomess?"

The stouter knight responded "Arch Mage Zant has gone too far now! He has wilfully turned his own people into… well… if you thought Midna's beasts were an abomination this is a whole new level."

"I don't it was Zant though," the taller, leaner knight added "He had this kid wearing that mask, you know, THAT mask."

The High Priest, Lanayru, adjusted his sapphire and gold robes. Brushing a lock of cyan hair away from his heavenly eyes he informed "It sounds as though he has finally summoned the man-eater that dwells within. Yet how is he able to even command such a creature?"

"Perhaps it is not him who commands it," The Hunt Master, Faron, suggested. His ranger clothing were varying shades of green to better help him hide in the flora when he fought. "There is something amiss with that masked child, I doubt even Zant would be insane enough to hex an innocent child."

By then the War Master, Eldin had heard enough, he slammed a gauntlet fist into a wall. The berserker snarled "The Gomess are beyond saving Faron, there's no telling what they will do." He watched over the mayhem with fierce red eyes, he could feel the scars on his face at the thought of that accursed woman "Any signs of Arch Mage Midna?"

"A dragon was sighted leaving the valley hours ago." Faron reported, slipping his hood over his brown hair "Without a doubt that was Midna, but why she fled is beyond me."

Eldin roared as he picked up Faron by the scruff of his cloak "Why didn't you say anything earlier!? She could be calling for reinforcements you moron!"

"What enforcements could the Garo or Gomess have?" Lanayru intervened without fear "No, I suspect the Gomess are falling apart from within, something happened to divide them like this."

"Then we handle Arch Mage Zant first, contain the Gomess within their towers and then hunt Arch Mage Midna before it's too late." King Igos marched downstairs "We must protect our kingdom and destroy that damn mask."

* * *

Zant could not recall the last time he felt so giddy. Perhaps it was the one sided nature of this battle as Majora's imp effortlessly obliterating the Ikana army, or maybe it was the fact that the imp was able to awaken the true power of the mask. Nevertheless he was having a glorious time as he watched the valley of Ikana fall. With Majora's imp by his side he knew he could not fail. He applauded and cheered as she called forth Twinmould's ghosts to start breaking down the walls of Ikana castle. The fun was interrupted as a piercing wall of light reinforced the wall and banished Twinmould's visage back into the ethereal plains.

Lanayru channelled all the magic in him to reinforce the walls and drive back the Garo. He smiled as his hypothesis proved true and that holy magic would drive back the shadow beasts. This provided the opportunity for Faron to get into position with his archers. The barrier was reinforced a rain of arrows enchanted with light, a treasure of Ikana. The Gomess were taken aback at the bolts of light fell upon them, most dying immediately from being struck. Majora's imp surveyed the scene and waved her hand towards Faron and Lanayru. While they were potent wielders of holy magic, she was far superior in the ways of darkness. The staff in Lanayru's hands shattered into dust, shrapnel of gold and ivory shredded through his form and sent the priest sprawling back into the fray. Faron cried out as the darkness invaded his body and robbed him of his sight. The Light Arrow, the relic that allowed him to enchant his bow, was whisked into the darkness never to be seen again. He fell to the ground convulsing as the shadows tortured his innards.

The imp turned to see Zant currently fighting with a juggernaut in red armour. Even though Eldin could easily crush Zant beneath the might of his hammer, the mage proved to be extremely agile as well as competent with a blade. Until then he always suspected Midna as the greater threat, yet Zant was proving to be even more difficult to dispose of. As Zant evaded and weaved amongst the sword fight he called out "Dispose of this fool like you did with the others!"

Two blades came to rest at the imp's neck before she could play along with Zant's command. She found herself face to face with King Igos. He approached her cautiously "What… what are you?"

"She is mine," Zant lashed out a net of shadowy tendrils to incapacitate Eldin, he turned to the king, spitting in his direction "And she will end you fools once and for all, your goddesses are weak and we will never bow to them! Look how they have forsaken you in your hour of need!"

Majora's imp then decided to cut their petty argument short. She raised her arms and enacted her punishment on Ikana for being so stubborn. All members of the Ikana clan felt the curse implant itself in their minds and bodies as one. King Igos fell to the ground screaming as his flesh melted from his bones. Majora's imp laughed at the symphony of screams as all of the Ikana mutated into undead monsters. In their undeath they would be denied the favour of their Golden Goddesses as they could no longer channel the light.

The sight of King Igos melting away to an undead skeleton made Zant smile. From the appearance of his knights and Eldin, it appeared all his clan were suffering a similar fate. They shed their human forms to reveal the monsters they really were. But before Zant could issue new orders to Majora's imp, she turned to him with a vindictive look on her face "Now it is time for the Gomess to receive punishment."

"What do you…" Zant backed away from her slowly "What do you mean? This is what we all wanted."

"No, I want Ikana to fall… all of Ikana," the imp floated closer to him, she placed her hands on his cheeks "That means you have to go too, seeing as you are so entranced by the Twilight Realm and the wild deities who roam it, you and your tribe can live there forever. However, mere mortals like you do not belong there, so you will finally return to the hell you crawled out of."

Zant felt every fibre in his body rip free of his soul, he howled as his form was consumed by darkness and vanished into nothingness. The imp laughed with glee as the Gomess disintegrated in swirls of black mist. A foul gust swept through Ikana Valley, finally crashing at the ruined eastern gate of Clock Town. In that moment, Ikana had fallen silent for the first time in decades.


	6. Majora's Mask

King Igos' head rose as the pain subsided, although looking at his skeletal hands reminded him his hell had truly begun. Majora's imp laughed as she danced before him "You've met with a terrible fate."

Ikana Valley was purged of life as the earth itself became corrupted with curse of the damned. The war between the Ikana and Gomess had finally stopped. But now the Ikana were transformed into monsters that were shunned by their Golden Goddesses and the Gomess had been exiled to the Twilight Realm. King Igos remained powerless before Majora's imp as she laughed insanely at his misfortune. His entire kingdom and all he swore to protect now remained cursed beyond recognition. To further mock him, he was to remain alive in this monstrous form. His other knights and Eldin had not risen yet, they were still affected by the hex as they had been turned into skeletons and a darknut. King Igos was at the mercy of this imp as he waited for the next torture to be inflicted.

Majora's imp paused as she felt something different in the air. Glancing in the direction of the disturbance she saw her other half, the real Majora standing behind her. Her complexion paler than usual and her breathing was heavy, she did not have long to live. In her hand was an ocarina, hardly a fitting weapon to deal with her.

The imp laughed at her frail counterpart "So, you've finally caught up. Do you like it? Have I not granted your desire to get the Ikana and Gomess to stop fighting one another?"

"Not like this, I stopped Bellum to prove we weren't all evil, that there are malevolent and benevolent wild deities," Majora looked to the remains of King Igos, despite his skeletal form she could still recognise his soul glinting in his eyes sockets. Her entire being struggled to remain breathing as she pleaded to him "I wanted to show you that the Giants were worthy of worship, not to replace your goddesses but to… to prove to you that some wild deities are willing to protect us."

The king remained silent as he looked back up at Majora, something had changed in his eyes.

The imp clapped loudly with a giggle at the sentimental plea from her other fragment "Such a noble heart you have, or maybe you've gotten more preachy since Zant separated us. Then again I can't care for sharing a soul with a drab little girl like you."

Majora lowered her eyes momentarily, carefully assessing the situation as an idea came to mind "So if my wish has been granted…" Majora spoke to the mask rather than her imp "Then what is to become of you, man-eater?"

The mask let out an inhuman laugh as the imp realised something had changed in the dark energy she was controlling. The inside of the mask then grabbed onto her face with vice like claws to make it impossible to remove. The imp screamed as she succumbed to demon within the mask, her body finally falling limp and remained hanging in the air. The mask's spikes wriggled as it said slyly "You'll see."

"No, we won't, I will cast back into the darkness where you belong."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"With a song of the Giants. Music sealed your fate once, it can do it again." Majora raised her ocarina to her lips and closed her eyes. The melody she played felt familiar to King Igos yet at the same time there was something so haunting about it. A song from a race not meant for the corporeal domain that could only reside in a sacred realm.

The man-eater felt its mind grow dull and its power wane as the tune washed over it. Finally its conscience dimmed into nothingness once more. The imp had been absorbed into the mask as the song bound it to the remains of the man-eater. Majora dropped the ocarina to the ground as she fell to her knees before the fallen mask. Now it appeared to be powerless or at least subdued.

King Igos clambered to his feet, amazed his bones could support him "That song… why did it work?"

"It was the Song of Healing, it's a melody that can heal evil magic and troubled spirits, turning them into masks."

"The Giants really taught you such a song?"

"I told you not all Gomess and wild deities are evil. Your goddesses are nothing more than pieces of a much greater hierarchy." Majora picked up the mask, she turned to the fallen king as she rose to her feet "Can you help me to the Stone Towers? I must cast this mask back into the realm where it was found."

By then King Igos felt like there were no other choices to be made. Reluctantly he helped Majora back to the Stone Towers, his mind still reeling from the silence of death that now settled into Ikana. When they were inside the main tower he suspected that Majora would travel upwards to the temple. However she swayed at the edge of the platform, looking down into the void created by the Golden Goddesses.

He looked upwards to the impossible climb that faced them "How are we to reach the temple from here?"

"We don't." Her eyes fell downwards to the strange sea of haze that obscured the floor of the Stone Towers.

King Igos panicked at what she was insinuating "You'll simply cast it into the void and then be done with it?"

"No, I must leave as well. I have to make sure it reaches its destination." Her grip tightened upon the mask "The deity in this mask, the man-eater, it is a vengeful one… it cannot return to Termina. Not while the oni is still roaming the Twilight Realm…"

King Igos narrowed his eyes sockets at her as shiver rattled his spine. His logic assured him that her rambling was caused by delirium from being near death. His superstition and gut feelings however told him that she imparting sacred knowledge to him. "The oni?"

"The oni and the man-eater are part of the primal trinity that have played one another throughout eternity. The giants are the third part and act as referees to their games." Majora grew paler "The oni and the man-eater are cunning, using the mortal realms as arenas for their sports," Her eyes became vacant as she passed on her warning to the Ikana "The man-eater will return to Termina and cast the moon into the earth, when that time comes, the oni will receive the blessing of the giants and challenge the man-eater once more. If the oni wins, then Ikana will be restored…"

"What? But who is this oni?" King Igos' fury had boiled over, he roughly took her by the shoulder "Stop speaking nonsense and cast the mask into the void! Then we can return to the castle and work out how to undo all this!" His free arm gestured to the hallowed Stone Towers. The dark energies that pulsed within the stones were growing restless by this display. King Igos bargained with her "With your knowledge of the Giants and our knowledge of the Goddesses, we could reverse all this. I'm sure we could break this curse without the help of this oni."

"If the oni was a simple wild deity perhaps we could, but it is part of an ethereal trinity and cannot be mimicked through cheap tricks." Using all her remaining strength she pulled away from him, edging closer to the void "You only realise you want peace now you have been cursed… you only acknowledge our gods when they can help you," Majora frowned at him "You people are pathetic. When Termina was falling to the decay of Bellum's plague, none of you Ikana offered to help the travellers that sought to destroy that monster! Not even the Golden Goddesses intervened! I thought you people stood for justice and righteousness. But no, you're no better than the very tribe you condemned." Majora's face softened at the pitiful state of King Igos "Now my final words have been said, I have no regrets, no sorrow, no despair. I am ready to leave this mortal coil." Majora's body then fell from the platform, King Igos let out a cry as he tried to grab her hand. She slipped from his grasp to be taken by the void and returned the mask to the realm where time did not move.

Utterly shattered, King Igos left the tower and stared back at its ominous entrance. The stones moved with a mind of their own as the doorway was sealed shut. Trapped within his cursed kingdom, King Igos returned to his castle to pray for salvation from the Golden Goddesses.


End file.
